Buckle



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification c' Letters Iatent.

BUCKLE.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Application led May 3, 1920. Serial No. 378,447.

To all cli/1,0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, EAnNEsT E. EDs'rnoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Whitefish, in the county of Flathead and State of Montana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is arspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in buckles and my object is to provide a construction of a buckle of the tongueless variety which will operate with maximum efficiency and which is constructed throughout of wire, hence may be produced with economy and despatch, and whose various parts are relatively inseparable.

My improvements consist in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of elements as hereinafter fully, clearly and concisely set forth, definitely pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of a buckle embodying my improvements, having a strap extended therethrough.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, as taken on the line indicated 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, taken onthe indicated line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a view similar to Figure 3 taken on the indicated line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a slightly modified construction and illustrating the method of using the same. In

f this ligure only two clutch bars are used.

Reference numerals 5 designate the side rails, 6 designate the'end bars and 7 and 8 designate the clutch bars.

Referring to the drawing, by numerals, A designates the body proper of the buckle, preferably constructed as shown of rectangular-oblong configuration and having a circular section throughout.

By further preference, for economy in production, this body is made of a single piece of round Wire having its ends joined to form a continuous ring,7 having parallel side rails 5 and parallel end bars 6 at substantially right angles to the rails 5.

In conjunction with this form of ring like body having the fixed bars 6, I employ one or more clutch bars which are movable relative to the fixed bars.

In the form of buckle shown I show a plurality of such clutch bars designated 7. 8 and 9, each formed of round wire, preferably, and provided at each end, respectively with eyes 10, 11 and 12 which encircle and slide upon the rails 5 of the ring.

As shown the bars Z and 9 occupy the same plane, which is a plane removed from the plane of the bar 8, which latter bar occupies plane substantially aligned with the fixed By this arrangement I produce, by the staggered arrangement of the fixed and clutch bars, a path described by a flexible element, such as the strap 13, having relatively sharp bends which produce friction, between the strap and the various bars of the buckle, upon the application of tension to the strap and thus bind the strap to the buckle in a manner toincrease the holding or binding action in proportion to the tension on the strap. Y In Fig. 5 I show one of my buckles having only two clutch bars as employed upon an apparel belt and call particular attention to the fact that the straps are'secured without extraneous means such as sewing, riveting and the like as is common.

What I claim is 1. A buckle of the class described, consisting of a ring constructed of a single piece of round wire, of substantially rectangular configuration, and a plurality of clutch bars, each having eyes for encircling a pair of parallel elements thereon, and said clutch bars occupying relatively different planes.

2. A buckle of the class described, consisting of a ring constructed of a single piece of round wire, of substantially rectangular configuration, and a pair of clutch bars, each having eyes for encircling a pair of parallel elements thereon, one of said bars being in the plane of the parallel elements and the other in a different plane, and said bars being slidable on the parallel elements.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

EARNEST E. EDSTROM. 

